US3286106A - Amplitude clipping circuits - Google Patents

Amplitude clipping circuits Download PDF

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Publication number
US3286106A
US3286106A US412633A US41263364A US3286106A US 3286106 A US3286106 A US 3286106A US 412633 A US412633 A US 412633A US 41263364 A US41263364 A US 41263364A US 3286106 A US3286106 A US 3286106A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
transistor
signals
rectifiers
input
clipped
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US412633A
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English (en)
Inventor
Deveson John Harwood
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BAE Systems Electronics Ltd
Original Assignee
Marconi Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Marconi Co Ltd filed Critical Marconi Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3286106A publication Critical patent/US3286106A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/04—Synchronising
    • H04N5/08—Separation of synchronising signals from picture signals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
    • H03G11/00—Limiting amplitude; Limiting rate of change of amplitude ; Clipping in general
    • H03G11/02—Limiting amplitude; Limiting rate of change of amplitude ; Clipping in general by means of diodes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
    • H03K5/00—Manipulating of pulses not covered by one of the other main groups of this subclass
    • H03K5/01—Shaping pulses
    • H03K5/08—Shaping pulses by limiting; by thresholding; by slicing, i.e. combined limiting and thresholding
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/14—Picture signal circuitry for video frequency region
    • H04N5/16—Circuitry for reinsertion of dc and slowly varying components of signal; Circuitry for preservation of black or white level
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/14—Picture signal circuitry for video frequency region
    • H04N5/16—Circuitry for reinsertion of dc and slowly varying components of signal; Circuitry for preservation of black or white level
    • H04N5/18—Circuitry for reinsertion of dc and slowly varying components of signal; Circuitry for preservation of black or white level by means of "clamp" circuit operated by switching circuit

Definitions

  • FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a prior art clipper commonly used at the present time in television circuits
  • FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c and 3a, 3b, 3c are waveforms illustrating the performance at high frequency of the prior art clipper shown in FIG. 1 in comparison with an ideal, i.e. a perfect clipper
  • FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of this invention.
  • FIG. 1 is an example of a widely used clipper of the type commonly termed a double diode, series-shunt clipper, which employs two semi-conductor diodes 1 and 2 connected back to back.
  • the first-diode, 1, is fed with input signals from a low impedance source shown as constituted by a transistor 3 connected as an emitter follower. Signals to be clipped are applied to the base of transistor 3 from an input terminal 4.
  • the second diode 2 is connected to a low impedance source of clipping reference potential provided by a second transistor 5 also connected as an emitter follower. A reference potential is applied to the base of transistor 5, e.g. from a potentiometer as shown.
  • Clipped output is taken off at output terminal 6 from the junction point 7 of the diodes, which point is also connected to ground through a small current bleeder resistor 8.
  • the particular arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is for clipping negative going input signals but, obviously, by reversing the diodes and returning resistor 8 to a positive potential source instead of to ground positive going input signals at 4 could be clipped.
  • FIGS. 2b and 3b show an input pulse with a very fast rise time which is desired to be clipped;
  • FIG. 2b shows the output pulse after clipping (the overshoot of 3,286,106 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 the leading edge of the clipped output pulse will be noted); and
  • FIG. 2a shows an input pulse with a very fast rise time which is desired to be clipped;
  • FIG. 2b shows the output pulse after clipping (the overshoot of 3,286,106 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 the leading edge of the clipped output pulse will be noted); and
  • FIG. 20 shows, for the purpose of cornparison, the clipped output pulse which would have been obtained if the clipper were a perfect one.
  • the broken line CL in FIG. 2b and 20 represents the clipping level. This can, of course, be adjusted by adjusting the reference potential applied to the base of transistor 5.
  • FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c similarly illustrate the case in which the input signal is a video sweep signal, sweeping, in the example illustrated from 1 mc./s. to 1-0 mc./s., the envelopes only of the signal being shown.
  • FIG. 3a shows the input signal
  • FIG. 3b shows the clipped output signal actually obtained
  • FIG. 3c shows the clipped output signal which would be given by a perfect clipper.
  • line CL represents the clipping level.
  • the present invention seeks to avoid or reduce the imperfections of operation which are above referred to and which occur at high frequencies.
  • an amplitude clipping cir cuit arrangement of the kind including two rectifiers back to back, means for taking clipped output signals from a point between said rectifiers, means for applying input signals to be clipped to the remaining side of one of said rectifiers and means for applying a clipping reference potential to the remaining side of the other of said rectifiers comprises, in addition, means for applying to said remaining side of said other rectifier corrective signals derived from said input signals by inversion and 'dilferentation.
  • the rectifiers are semi-conductor diodes; the input signals are applied to said one rectifier through a transistor connected as an emitter follower; the clipping reference potential is applied to said other rectifier by means of a second transistor also connected as an emitter follower; and the correcting signals are derived and applied by means of a condenser included in circuit between the collector of the first mentioned transistor and the base of the second transistor and an impedance in the collector circuit of said first mentioned transistor.
  • an amplitude clipping circuit arrangement comprises an input emitter follower transistor; means for applying signals to be clipped to the base thereof; a collector circuit including a resistor for said input transistor; a second emitter follower transistor; means for applying a clipping reference potential to the base of said second transistor; two semiconductor diodes connected back to back at one side thereof with the remaining side of one diode connected to the emitter of the input transistor and the remaining side of the other diode connected to the emitter of the second transistor; a resistor connected between a poiint between said diodes and a point of fixed potential; a condenser connected between the collector of the input transistor and the base of the second transistor; and means for taking clipped output signals from a point between said diodes.
  • FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention which, like FIG. 1 is designed to clip negative going signals. Like references are used for like parts in FIGS. 1 and 4 so little further description of the latter figure is necessary.
  • the circuit of FIG. 4 differs from FIG. 1 by the insertion of resistor 9 in the collector circuit of transistor 3 and the provision of condenser 10 between the collector of transistor 3 and the base of transistor 5.
  • These additional elements operate by adding at the base of transistor 5 a signal derived from the input signal by inversion and differentiation.
  • the inversion is, of course, performed by the input transistor 3 and the resistor 9, the inverted signal being taken off at the junction of the collector of transistor 3 and resistor 9.
  • This signal is differentiated by the circuit comprising condenser 10 and-the two resistors coupled in the base circuit of transistor 5.
  • the above noted inverted and differentiated signal acts as a correcting signal so modifying the reference potential at the emitter of transistor 5 as very considerably to reduce break through of the diodes at higher frequencies.
  • the correcting signal reduces the break through of the diodes by applying a signal which is approximately equal and opposite to the voltage developed by the breakthrough, thereby cancelling out the voltage spike caused by the breakthrough and more nearly approximating ideal clipping action.
  • By properly choosing the values of the components 9 and 10 it is possible to obtain, from input signals as shown in FIGS. 2a and 3a, output signals which more closely approximate the ideal output signals shown in FIGS. 20 and 30 respectively than do the output signals shown in FIGS. 2b and 2c respectively.
  • positive going input signals can be clipped.
  • An amplitude clipping circuit comprising two rectifiers coupled back to back at one side thereof, means for applying input signals to be clipped to the remaining side of one of said rectifiers, means for applying a clipping reference potential to the remaining side of the other of said 'rectifiers, means for taking clipped output signals from a point between said rectifiers, and inverter-differentiator means for applying to said remaining side of said other rectifier correcting signals derived from said input signals by inversion and differentiation.
  • rectifiers are semi-conductor diodes; the input signals being applied to said one rectifier through a transistor connected as an emitter follower; the clipping reference potential being applied to said other rectifier through a second transistor also connected as an emitter follower; and the correcting signals being derived of a condenser included in circuit between the collector of the first mentioned transistor and the base of the second transistor and an impedance in the collector circuit of said first mentioned transistor.
  • An amplitude clipping circuit comprising an input emitter follower transistor; means for applying signals to be clipped to the base of said transistor; a collector circuit including a resistor for said input transistor; a second emitter followertransistor; means for applying a clipping reference potential to the base of said second transistor; two semi-conductor diodes connected back to back at one side thereof with the remaining side of one diode being connected to the emitter of the input transistor and the remaining side of the other diode being connected to the emitter of the second transistor; a resistor connected between a point between said diodes and a point of fixed potential; a condenser connected between the collector of the input transistor and the base of the second transistor; and means for taking clipped output signals from a point between said diodes.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Nonlinear Science (AREA)
  • Tone Control, Compression And Expansion, Limiting Amplitude (AREA)
  • Picture Signal Circuits (AREA)
US412633A 1964-02-17 1964-11-20 Amplitude clipping circuits Expired - Lifetime US3286106A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB6424/64A GB1024168A (en) 1964-02-17 1964-02-17 Improvements in or relating to amplitude clipping circuit arrangements

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3286106A true US3286106A (en) 1966-11-15

Family

ID=9814241

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US412633A Expired - Lifetime US3286106A (en) 1964-02-17 1964-11-20 Amplitude clipping circuits

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3286106A (de)
DE (1) DE1275114B (de)
GB (1) GB1024168A (de)
NL (1) NL6500806A (de)
SE (1) SE318604B (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3446987A (en) * 1965-11-15 1969-05-27 Hewlett Packard Yokogawa Variable resistance circuit
US3935479A (en) * 1974-12-20 1976-01-27 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Dynamic damping apparatus
US3968383A (en) * 1974-07-10 1976-07-06 Narco Scientific Industries, Inc. Noise limiter
US4823020A (en) * 1987-12-15 1989-04-18 Itt Gilfillan High voltage pulse top clipper with precise regulation of clipping level

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3181076A (en) * 1960-08-12 1965-04-27 William L Freseman Clipping circuit employing two tubes coupled together by diode impedance network and variable bias control means
US3221258A (en) * 1961-01-13 1965-11-30 Marconi Co Ltd Signal clipping circuit arrangements

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1154158B (de) * 1959-10-28 1963-09-12 Alfred Lutz Dipl Ing Schaltungsanordnung zur Begrenzung von Wechselspannungen, insbesondere Impulsen

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3181076A (en) * 1960-08-12 1965-04-27 William L Freseman Clipping circuit employing two tubes coupled together by diode impedance network and variable bias control means
US3221258A (en) * 1961-01-13 1965-11-30 Marconi Co Ltd Signal clipping circuit arrangements

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3446987A (en) * 1965-11-15 1969-05-27 Hewlett Packard Yokogawa Variable resistance circuit
US3968383A (en) * 1974-07-10 1976-07-06 Narco Scientific Industries, Inc. Noise limiter
US3935479A (en) * 1974-12-20 1976-01-27 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Dynamic damping apparatus
US4823020A (en) * 1987-12-15 1989-04-18 Itt Gilfillan High voltage pulse top clipper with precise regulation of clipping level

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1024168A (en) 1966-03-30
DE1275114B (de) 1968-08-14
SE318604B (de) 1969-12-15
NL6500806A (de) 1965-08-18

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